Run Away with Me - by Brian Selznick (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Brian Selznick, a profoundly romantic YA novel about two boys finding each other and falling in love over one summer in Rome.

"I'm going to call you Danny. What are you going to name me?"

"Angelo."

Danny is spending his sixteenth summer in Rome. As his mother spends the day at work in a mysterious museum, he wanders the ancient sites and streets. Soon after his arrival, he encounters a shadow... who becomes a voice... who becomes a boy his age. Angelo.

Soon Danny and Angelo are spending as much time as they can together, piecing together stories of the city while only gradually letting their own histories be shared. Attraction leads to affection, and affection leads to both an intimate closeness and a profound fear of what happens next. Danny has never really had a home, or known the love of another boy. Angelo seems to have more experience... but he also has secrets just out of Danny's reach.

Run Away with Me is a stunning creation, weaving words and illustration to tell the story of a transformative love over the course of one Roman summer.

Review Quotes

Praise for Run Away with Me:

* "Brimming with electric-feeling affection and longing as well as musings on 'stories ... secrets ... histories, ' it's an intricately woven Roman holiday: Danny marvels at 'my life reflected back through the prism of Angelo, ' and readers will too." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "The characters are quirky, imaginative, and enigmatic; their curiosity and desire are as infectious as Roman fever." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Selznick meticulously weaves in cultural elements of the city, ancient and recent history, and mystery with the ease of a seasoned professional, pulling together a tale not just of young love but of old romances, the power of a good story, and the lasting impact of what we leave behind." -- Booklist, starred review

* "A mesmerizing ode to poetry, art, and love that stands the test of time, Selznick's first title for young adults is recommended for all collections." -- School Library Journal, starred review

* "In sensitively written first-person past tense (with occasional yearning passages told from a years-later perspective), Selznick builds thematic layer upon layer through poetic language, references to real-world art, and detailed imagery." -- The Horn Book, starred review

* "This illustrated novel is pure romance, skipping the mundanity or compromises that befall most long-term daily relationships and instead diving into all of the passion, infatuation, and fervent dedication of a dwindling summer (the chapter headings even count down the remaining days) in a glorious city for two beautiful boys wildly in love." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

Praise for The Invention of Hugo Cabret:

2008 Caldecott Medal Winner

National Book Award Finalist

#1 New York Times Bestseller

New York Times Best Illustrated Book

Los Angeles Times Favorite Children's Book of the Year

TIME Magazine's 100 Best Children's and Young Adult Books of All Time

"Evokes wonder... like a silent film on paper." -- The New York Times

"A fast-paced treat." -- People Magazine

"Distinctive." -- The Wall Street Journal

"Cinematic." -- Parenting Magazine

"Captivating." -- Los Angeles Times Book Review

* "A true masterpiece." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "Fade to black and cue the applause!" -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Complete genius." -- The Horn Book, starred review

* "Breathtaking... shatters conventions." --School Library Journal, starred review

* "An original and creative integration of art and text." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"Visually stunning... raises the bar." -- San Antonio Express-News

About the Author

Brian Selznick's books have sold millions of copies, garnered countless awards worldwide, and been translated into more than 35 languages. He broke open the novel form with his innovative and genre-defying thematic trilogy, beginning with the Caldecott Medal-winning #1 New York Times bestseller The Invention of Hugo Cabret, adapted into Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning movie Hugo. He followed that with the #1 New York Times bestseller, Wonderstruck, adapted into the eponymous movie by celebrated filmmaker Todd Haynes, with a screenplay by Selznick, and the New York Times bestseller, The Marvels. Selznick's two most recent books for young people, Baby Monkey, Private Eye, an ALA Notable Book co-written with his husband David Serlin, and Kaleidoscope, a New York Times Notable Children's Book of 2021, were both New York Times bestsellers as well. Selznick and Serlin divide their time between Brooklyn, New York and La Jolla, California. Learn more at thebrianselznick.com and mediaroom.scholastic.com/brianselznick.